The movie is titled “Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.”

Jesus can toot his own horn.

Even so, in “Honk, For Jesus. Save Your Soul.,” a minister and his wife call on Jesus to get them out of a jam.

They stand on the side of the road in front of the Atlanta, Ga., megachurch where the Rev. Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown) preached a prosperity gospel.

The minister’s wife, Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall), the “First Lady” of the Southern Baptist Church, holds up a sign that states to drivers in passing vehicles: Honk For Jesus.

The movie is a film within a film. The minister and his wife hired a documentary film crew to tell the story of their comeback.

They are coming back from allegations of the minister’s infidelity. After the television news crews show up and the lawsuits begin, the megachurch’s attendance that numbered in the thousands dwindles to a faithful few, five to be exact.

The negative publicity exacts its toll on the marriage of the minister and his wife. The role of the dutiful wife is shown. Sometimes, as in a bedroom scene, too much of the role is shown.

Sterling K. Brown (“Black Panther,” 2018; Emmy recipient, TV’s “This is Us,” 2017, 2016) is in fine form as the minister. He’s so believable in the role that, should he give up his acting career, he could have a fall-back profession in the pulpit. Brown expresses a range of emotions, from a vociferous bully pulpit, pun intended, to revealing moments of self-doubt.

Regina Hall (“Girls Trip,” 2017; TV’s “Nine Perfect Strangers,“ 2021) is expansive, from cheerful supportive spouse, to long-suffering wife, to carefully-considered concern and ruminative re-evaluation.

Notable in supporting roles are Nicole Beharie and Conphidance as husband and wife ministers of a rival African-American church.

The costume design by Lorraine Coppin includes fabulous frocks and church hats for the minister’s wife and sharp duds for the minister.

Director Adamma Ebo (in her feature film directorial debut), working from a screenplay she wrote and with her identical twin sister, Adanne Ebo, as one of the film’s producers, paces the film with a mix of humor and drama.

“Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.” is a daring and sometimes uncomfortable film. It cuts deeper than some of Tyler Perry’s films (“Madea” movie franchise). That Jordan Peele (“Nope,” 2022; “Us,” 2019; “Get Out,” 2017) is one of the movie’s executive producers is significant. Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown are producers of the film, as is Daniel Kaluuya (“Nope”).

The film has elements that African-American audiences may readily identify with: depictions of church, replete with a congregant slain in the spirit, holy-dancing and full-immersion water baptism. As the song written by Jonathan Smith and Phil Wickham goes: “There’s joy in the house of the Lord. There’s joy in the house of The Lord today.”

I was unfamiliar with what is said to be the tradition of white-face praise miming in African-American worship services, which becomes a plot point late in the film.

While the screenplay under-girds the hypocrisy of the minister’s mission, it hews a fine line and stops short of outright condemnation. Rather, the screenplay emphasizes understanding, redemption and forgiveness. The film is more reverent than irreverent, though, there is plenty of irreverence.

The film’s title, “Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.” is unusual in its use of grammar.

Was the title’s “Save Your Soul” added as an afterthought? Or is it the main point? You decide.

“Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.,”

MPAA rated R (Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.) for language and some sexual content; Genre: Comedy, Drama; Run time: 1 hour, 42 minutes. Distributed by Focus Features.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.” includes a rousing gospel song, Fred Hammond’s “Let The Praise Begin,” during the end credits. Adamma Ebo’s script for the film was chosen for the 2019 Sundance Screenwriting Intensive. The film is based on Ebo’s 2018 short film of the same title.

At The Movies:

“Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.” was seen in the standard format at AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Box Office,

Sept. 9 - 11: “Barbarian,” a horror film, opened at No. 1 with $10 million, in 2,340 theaters. “Brahmastra Part One: Shiva,” starring top India actors, opened at No. 2 with $4.4 million, in 810 theaters.

3. “Bullet Train” dropped one place, $3.2 million, in 3,056 theaters, $92.5 million, six weeks. 4. “Top Gun: Maverick” dropped three places from its one-week perch back at No. 1, with $3.1 million, in 3,005 theaters, $705.6 million, 16 weeks. 5. “DC League of Super-Pets” dropped one place, $2.8 million, in 3,043 theaters, $85.4 million, seven weeks. 6. “The Invitation” dropped one place, $2.6 million, in 3,117 theaters, $18.8 million, three weeks. 7. “Lifemark,” a faith-based film, opening, $2.2 million, in 1,531 theaters. 8. “Beast” dropped two places, $1.8 million, in 2,793 theaters, $29.3 million, four weeks. 9. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” dropped two places, $1.6 million, in 2,274 theaters, $362.3 million, 11 weeks. 10. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” dropped seven places, $1.3 million, in 3,215 theaters, $8.5 million, two weeks. 17. “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” dropped three places, $365,000, in 1,870 theaters, $2.3 million, two weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Sept. 11 is subject to change.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Box Office,

Sept. 2 - 4: It was a weekend of oldies but goodies. Re-releases dominated new releases on a slow Labor Day weekend at the movie theater box office. It was the fifth worst weekend of the year despite the $3 all-inclusive Saturday ticket deal for “National Cinema Day.”

“Top Gun: Maverick” zoomed up three places to regain No. 1, with $6 million, in 3,113 theaters, $699.3 million, 15 weeks.

“Bullet Train” stayed at No. 2, with $5.7 million, in 3,117 theaters, $86.3 million, five weeks.

“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” in re-release with 11 minutes of footage added, $5.4 million, in 3,935 theaters. The movie is the third-biggest domestic grossing movie ever with $812 million.

4. “DC League of Super-Pets” moved up two places, $5 million, in 3,115 theaters, $80.3 million, six weeks. 5. “The Invitation” dropped four places from its one-week run at No. 1, with $4.8 million, in 3,114 theaters, $13.9 million, two weeks. 6. ”Beast” dropped three places, $4 million, in 3,217 theaters, $25.8 million, three weeks. 7. “Minions: The Rise of Gru” moved up one place, $3.5 million, in 2,457 theaters, $359.2 million, 10 weeks. 8. “Thor: Love and Thunder” moved up one place, $2.6 million, in 2,090 theaters, $340.1 million, nine weeks. 9. “Jaws,” in 3D and IMAX re-release, $2.6 million, in 1,246 theaters. 10. ”Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero,” $2.4 million, in 2,500 theaters, $34.5 million, three weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Sept. 4 is subject to change.

Unreel,

Sept. 16:

“See How They Run,”

PG-13: Tom George directs Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson and David Oyelowo in the Mystery Comedy. In London in the 1950s, the production of a movie based on a hit play is halted when a crew member is murdered.

“The Woman King,”

PG-13: Gina Prince-Bythewood directs Viola Davis and John Boyega in the History Drama Action film. A story based on the Kingdom of Dahomey, a state in Africa in the 18th and 19th century, is told.

“Moonage Daydream,”

PG-13: Brett Morgan directs a documentary film about the music and life of pop-rock star David Bowie.

Movie opening dates information from Internet Movie Database as of Sept. 11 is subject to change.

Two Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes